Today's Reading - 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9
Background
Solomon's descent into sin, alluded to in our examination of Ecclesiastes, is our focus today.
Devotional - The Wise and Fool of Solomon
Solomon is one of the tragic stories in the Bible. In many ways, he was a great success, and by worldly terms, the glory of his kingdom surpassed even that of his father's, King David. The borders of Israel were expanded, buildings were built, including the Temple, and the wealth and fame of Solomon spread throughout the world.
Of course, his wisdom was the thing that gave him his greatest fame. He had a grasp and understanding of the principles of wisdom, of how to make a wise decision and walk the right path in life, like no one else ever.
And yet he became a fool. 1 Kings 11 tells how a man of great wisdom made some very foolish choices. In Proverbs, there are stern warnings against the wrong kinds of women and the importance of godly relationships. But as Solomon grew older, he must have grown overconfident and felt that he was above temptation. He ignored all his own principles and the consequences he predicted would come fell on his own head.
I find it interesting how often a person's strength can also be his or her weakness. David's strength? He was a man after God's own heart, but he drifted far from God into sin and became an adulterous murderer. Solomon was a man of wisdom who made the foolish choice (he KNEW better) to marry foreign women and they left him astray to worship their own gods, provoking the jealousy of the God of Heaven.
When we have a strong point, a character quality in which God's work has advanced, it is a good thing. But when we become overconfident, when we think it can never happen to us, when we stop being careful and stop taking precautions against sin, we can actually fall at exactly the point where we thought our faith was so strong and unshakable.
No matter how long I walk with Christ or how deeply I know him, I must still be careful to walk daily in the fullness of the Spirit, to practice repentance on a daily basis and to walk carefully in this sinful world. We must not become self-reliant or confident in our own abilities.
Just when you think you are impervious, that Satan's attacks will never reach you, that is when you are in the greatest danger.
Father, protect me from the arrogance of self-confidence, of the sin of taking credit for the work you have done in me. Help me to realize that I need you every hour, every day.
Think and Pray
Consider how you can balance confidence in Christ and commitment to him with a sense of humility and a realization that "it can happen to you."
What are some strengths in your life that could become areas of temptation?
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